Commas and Compound sentences NOT FINISHED - evansjoy Mar 1, 2011
A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses. Because the independent clauses in a compound sentence are grammatically equal structures, they are put together by one of the coordinating conjunctions such as but, yet, or, nor and so. By a set of correlatives
In general, when the independent clauses in a compound sentence are put together by a coordinating conjunction, they are separated by a comma.
The comma precedes the coordinating conjunction. A common error is to place the comma after the conjunction:
WRONG: she droped them off early but, they still missed their bus. RIGHT: she droped them off early, but they still missed their bus.
Commas in a series Commas in a series use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in sequence. · Words- James, Sammy, and Johnny presented an interesting report. · Phrases- The novel is available in print, on audio tape, and on video cassette. · Clauses- The lawyer argued that the weather was bad, that the car had bad brakes, and that the other driver was speeding.
Use a comma to set off quoted elements. Because we don't use quoted material all the time, even when writing, this is probably the most difficult rule to remember in comma usage. It is a good idea to find a page from an article that uses several quotations, photocopy that page, and keep it in front of you as a model when you're writing. Generally, use a comma to separate quoted material from the rest of the sentence that explains or introduces the quotation:
Summing up this argument, Peter Coveney writes, "The purpose and strength of the romantic image of the child had been above all to establish a relation between childhood and adult consciousness." site credit.(http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm)
use commas to avoid confusion.
For most the year is already finished.
For most, the year is already finished.
Outside the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches.
Outside, the lawn was cluttered with hundreds of broken branches
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A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses. Because the independent clauses in a compound sentence are grammatically equal structures, they are put together by one of the coordinating conjunctions such as but, yet, or, nor and so. By a set of correlatives
In general, when the independent clauses in a compound sentence are put together by a coordinating conjunction, they are separated by a comma.
The comma precedes the coordinating conjunction. A common
error is to place the comma after the conjunction:
WRONG: she droped them off early but, they still missed their bus.
RIGHT: she droped them off early, but they still missed their bus.
Commas in a series
Commas in a series use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in sequence.
· Words- James, Sammy, and Johnny presented an interesting report.
· Phrases- The novel is available in print, on audio tape, and on video cassette.
· Clauses- The lawyer argued that the weather was bad, that the car had bad brakes, and that the other driver was speeding.
Use a comma to set off quoted elements. Because we don't use quoted material all the time, even when writing, this is probably the most difficult rule to remember in comma usage. It is a good idea to find a page from an article that uses several quotations, photocopy that page, and keep it in front of you as a model when you're writing. Generally, use a comma to separate quoted material from the rest of the sentence that explains or introduces the quotation:
use commas to avoid confusion.